My grandfather (Dad's father)

  August Westman (born Gustafsson)
   Born in Skörstorp, Sweden 1848.
   Died in Chicago, USA 1911.

  Married to Mathilda Johansdotter 1878.
  Picture

 
August (Gustafsson) Westman was born at the crofter's holding Friareledet of the farm Orreholmen in Skörstorp's parish, Hångsdala, Skaraborg's county, Sweden. His father was Gustaf Gabrielsson and his mother Maja Elisabeth Jansdotter. (His mother died 1852 and in the same year his father was remarried to a cousin of his first wife) The whole family left Hångsdala 1858 for Locketorp's parish, Väring, about 10 kilometers north of Skövde, where they lived at a crofter's holding below
the farm Bro.

August left Locketorp for Skövde in January 1865. He was at that time 16 years of age. The same year he joined the army, "Kongliga Skaraborg's Regemente", and its military band in Axvall, situated about 20 kilometers west of Skövde. In the army he got a new name: "Westman". At first he was a "drummer-boy" for two years and then a "horn-blower". Besides that he was a painter because it was not a full-time job to be a military musician in those days. In the military papers you can see that he was 1 meter 72 centimeter high. He left the army in 1875 and got a testimonial where he was highly recommended. Later he rejoined the military band in 1884. This time "Kongliga Wästgöta's Regemente", Axvall. He was by now a musician-sergeant, later he become a musician-master sergeant. In addition to that he was still a painter. He left the army on his own request in Mars 15th 1890.
 
In August 1st, 1890 August Westman got a certificate for emigration to
"N. America". He left Sweden from Gothenburg with the steamboat "Ariosto" in
Aug. 8th 1890. At first he went to Hull in England, then by train to Glasgow in
Scotland and after that by steamboat "Canadian" to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
The ship arrived in August 29th, 1890. After arriving US he went to Chicago.
 
August Westman lived for 21 years in Chicago and passed away on Cook County Hospital in Dec. 24th, 1911 and was buried Dec. 25th at the cemetery "Forest Home". According to the "Certificate of Death" he was a house painter in USA. Cause of death: Primary "Myocarditis" and secondary "Cirrhosis of Liver".
 

Steamboat "Ariosto" in the harbor of Gothenburg

                         *     *     *

For another pictures:

Picture 1
The military band

Picture 2
The cemetary "Forest Home" i Chicago.

Picture 3
An extract of a letter from August Westman home to Sweden.